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Graduate Certificates

Mortenson Center Graduate Certificate

Any student currently enrolled in a graduate degree program offered by the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder may apply for concurrent enrollment in the Mortenson Center Graduate Certificate. CVEN 5919 is available to any engineeringgraduate student on a space available basis, however, enrollment in CVEN 5939: SCD Field Practicum is limited to certificate students only.

Students interested in completing the Mortenson Center Graduate Certificate must submit a Certificate Enrollment Form to the certificate program advisor at the time they wish to enroll in CVEN 5919. Students who satisfactorily complete the four required courses will earn the certificate upon graduation. Please contact Laura MacDonald, Managing Director of the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering and graduate certificate program advisor, for further details.

Certificate students start with SCD I, which introduces students to the complexities of the international development industry, providing a survey approach to understanding major historical outcomes, theories, institutions, policies, alternatives and critiques. The SCD Field Practicum provides students with a field-based opportunity to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in MCGE courses and other learning experiences and to apply theory and principles in a situation that approximates professional practice in global engineering. Students typically fulfill the SCD Field Practicum requirement the summer after the first academic year in the program. Learn more about previous practicum placements here.

The remaining six credit hours are to be completed as approved courses or one-credit modules offered by the Mortenson Center or Affiliate Faculty (listed below). MCGE offers courses as sequences of 5-week modules, with each module worth one credit-hour. The following sequences are currently offered:

*Currently offered as a three-credit, 15-week course, but will be a three-module series as of Fall 2020.

Water Engineering and Management Graduate Certificate

The Water Engineering and Management Graduate Certificate complements a technical Master’s degree by providing an in-depth study of the skills and tools demanded by the rigors of the water profession. Build your non-technical competencies with courses on leadership, communication, financials, governance, and water management.

Three core courses and a suitable elective (likely following your degree plan) is all it takes to get the certificate alongside your degree. Certificate courses count towards the Master Science (MS) degree in Civil Engineering, the Master of Science (MS) degree in Environmental Engineering or the Master of Engineering (ME) degree in Engineering Management. It’s the perfect marriage to your technical degree.

The courses are available to all graduate students and can be completed on campus or through distance learning. Students interested in completing the Water Engineering and Management Certificate must submit an Application Form.

CVEN 5564: Water Profession - Communication and Utility Finance
This course aims to build skills needed to meet current and future challenges in the water profession. The communications content provides important tools for leadership and communication at all levels, externally and internally. Utility Finance includes reading financial statements, financial planning, capital improvement plans, and rate setting by water utilities.

CVEN 5574: Water Utility Management - Current Issues and Future Challenges
The course objectives include: learning how public utilities manage water supply and environmental services; how they work with their constituencies and each other; and what leadership is required to meet future challenges. Also, a unique sustainable and renewable case study is an opportunity for students to apply the course principles for plan implementation. The course focuses on many of the humanistic challenges for consulting, utility and regulatory agencies.

CVEN 5584: Water Profession - Utility Leadership and Management
This course provides an opportunity to examine leadership and management within water organizations. Topics that are covered include emotional intelligence, habits and traits of good leaders, strategic planning, decision-making, critical thinking, mentoring, facilitation, and interpersonal communication.